July 24, 2015
Hospital discharge planning services are intended to make your move from the hospital to your home or other location as smooth and safe as possible, and aim to prevent additional trips to the hospital for you. Under specific circumstances, Medicare does require all hospitals to provide discharge planning services as part of a hospital stay. Let’s see if those circumstances might apply to you.
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Marci’s Medicare Answers August 2015
Dear Marci, I am having heart valve replacement surgery soon and spoke with my primary care doctor about care after my surgery. She said that I should ask the hospital for a discharge plan before I leave so that I understand how to continue my care once I am home. I have never received a discharge plan before. Does Medicare require the hospital to provide a discharge plan to me as part of my hospital stay? – Louise (Washington, DC)